Friday, June 19, 2009

Trucks Rained-Out Friday In Milwaukee

Update: CWTS race is postponed by heavy rain. SPEED will have live coverage Saturday at 1:30PM ET. We will be here to live blog the telecast.

The beating and banging of the original truck series should return this Friday night as the now Camping World Trucks take to the flat one-mile oval known as the Milwaukee Mile.

This is a critical time for the series, but all the elements seem to be in place for a good show. There are 34 trucks entered, with a handful expected to end the day early.

There is some added sizzle in the field this week with the likes of flat track ace Dennis Setzer, veteran Mike Bliss and former Cup driver Aric Almirola. The CWTS regulars like Ron Hornaday Jr., Mike Skinner and Todd Bodine are also in Milwaukee.

Ricky Carmichael is behind the wheel for Kevin Harvick Inc. this weekend with his Monster Energy Drink sponsorship. Jack Roush just announced that Colin Braun will be fulltime in the Nationwide Series in 2010 and he is in the field as well.

Finally, one driver with a little something to prove is Johnny Sauter while rapidly improving Tayler Malsam will be driving a Toyota for Randy Moss Motorsports.

Krista Voda will start the TV night at 8:30PM with The Setup. Adam Alexander and Ray Dunlap will be her reporters. Once things get underway at 9PM, it will be Rick Allen and Phil Parsons calling the action. Update: Being told by SPEED Michael Waltrip will be in Milwaukee and join the telecast team.

Ironically, the 2008 winner of this event is Johnny Benson. Gone from the CWTS after sponsorship woes, Benson was recently injured driving his hand-built Supermodified car in the Midwest. The good news is that JB is already out of the hospital and on his way to a full recovery.

The CWTS race will cap a long day of coverage on SPEED from both Milwaukee and Sonoma, CA. The Sprint Cup Series will practice at 3PM and then qualify at 6:30PM ET. Steve Byrnes, Jeff Hammond and Larry McReynolds will handle that coverage.

TDP will live-blog the CWTS race, but welcomes your comments on the Friday TV coverage on SPEED. To add your opinion, just click on the comments button below. This is a family-friendly website, please keep that in mind when posting.

Should be quite the interesting race. Like Dot said, hopefully the coverage will be stronger, it would be cool to have a JB up there if he doesn't have a ride. Like I had mentioned on the JB topic, saw his interview after getting out of the hospital and was glad to see him in good spirits and finding positives in the situation. Can't wait to see him come back, hopefully we get a heck of a race this weekend.

It would be a great broadcast if Johnny Benson was in the booth instead of the Human Shill Machine. As it is, I'll be having the mute button on just like I do for the Fox broadcast.Get Johnny in the booth and I might actually turn the mute button off.

Yes, it'll be nice to see the Trucks & NW at the same track racing on the same weekend. I also feel bad that JB can't be driving, but he sounded very positive when they interviewed him on NN the other day. JD - Hopefully, David Starr will have a starr-studded race and win it!!!

I hope that this is a good broadcast too. You know why can't they put Krista Voda in the broadcast booth. She always brings a lot to the pre-race show and would do a great job in the booth instead of someone who is so self absorbed and self serving.

Take good notes everyone I am in the wilds of Maine. Although I admit there is a DSL conecection but no TV. This is first time I've gotten my Nascar FIx since Tuesday's NN. Hopefully rain will not be a problem I can't adjust my DVR from here.

Anon, the plan according to if Kyle got his wish was to have JB in the #51 however BBM had already committed weeks ago, Aric Almirola and Ickler to rides for this race so while Kyle offered the seat, it was still a longshot from what I heard.

Don't expect much tonight. We've been having terrible storms all night---didn't get to sleep until 5:30am this morning, with lots of flooding in West Allis and 25000 out of power still this morning. Some areas, like my house, got more than 6 inches of rain in less than 90 minutes. Storms are forecast for most of the day with severe storms starting later in the afternoon and early evening until midnight. I heard that the tunnel that leads to the infield of the Milwaukee Mile was under 8 feet of water but that is receding. It's going to be very hot and humid for most of the day. Better for tomorrow with no rain at all.

Here's a Special Weather Statement from the National Weather Service in Milwaukee (sorry for all caps, as I'm copying and pasting):

SCATTERED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO REDEVELOP ACROSSSOUTHERN WISCONSIN THIS AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING. SOME OF THETHUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO BECOME SEVERE WITH THE POTENTIAL FORLARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS. A FEW TORNADOES ARE ALSO POSSIBLE.

Nice article on Milwaukee - brought a smile to face when I saw that familiar #23 ...

TDP readers and JD - thank you for your positive comments and support during my brother's accident. I'm happy to report that he flew home to Charlotte today along with his family to start his recovery. The support has been overwhelming ...

I also like your suggestion about having him do the television broadcast ... Never gave that one a thought.

The time the Truck race will be on on SPEED Saturday, was supposed to be the time Happy Hour from Infineon was to take place. So, will SPEED scrap the airing of Happy Hour altogether? or will they put it on delay? The schedule is pretty tight for SPEED on Saturday. The Truck race will go until 4:00p.m. Eastern, and at 5:00p.m. Eastern they have live coverage of the Rolex race at Mid-Ohio. Any chance of getting this clarified from the The Powers That Be?